Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, it belongs to JK Rowling, etc etc.
Authors Note: I'm going to try to finish this story before the week is out. Thanks for the reviews and enjoy!
On the twenty-fourth of May at roughly six-thirty, Lord Voldemort entered Hogwarts, bringing with him thirty of his loyal followers - the Death Eaters. He sent five of them after Rubeus Hagrid, who Voldemort knew would be one of his most challenging adversaries. Together, those five Death Eaters set fire to Hagrid cabin and trapped the half-giant inside. Or rather, they tried. The ensuing battle - for that's what it was - resulted in an unconscious Hagrid and five nearly dead Death Eaters. This happened at roughly six-forty.
At the same time, Harry Potter was racing through the halls of Hogwarts, the Marauder's Map held in his left hand and his wand in his right, gripped tight. Being light on his feet, the teenaged wizard hardly made a sound. He stopped at the base of the stairs leading up to the Entrance Hall, glancing down at the Map in his left hand.
Two Death Eaters stood guard outside the Great Hall, meaning he would have to take a different route if he wanted to get to the seventh floor, where Hermione was. Glancing at the Map again, Harry stared at the name 'Tom Riddle' and clenched his teeth. As much as he wanted to go in there right now and face off with his nemesis, he knew it would be futile. Besides, he wasn't going to do anything until he knew Hermione was safe. Glancing at the other significant name on the parchment, he took a deep breath.
"Don't do anything stupid Draco," he whispered, before turning around and running back into the dungeons.
(----)
The Great Hall was still deathly silent. Nobody dared to move even an inch, as if the entire Hall had had a Petrificus Totalus cast on it. Beside Draco, Pansy Parkinson was as still and silent as he had ever seen her. Draco glanced down the table, seeing Theodore Nott and his two goons, Crabbe and Goyle, all wearing smirks on their faces. Looking away, he glanced up at the looming figure standing at the head of the Great Hall - Lord Voldemort.
Severus Snape stood behind Voldemort; his wand out, with Professor Sprout lying sprawled at his feet. Surprise, surprise, Harry was right. Or at least, that's how it looked. Draco hadn't been at all surprised when Snape had stunned the Herbology Professor, but the rest of the Hall had gasped in shock, quieting down almost immediately so as not to draw attention to themselves.
Now, with the Hall silent again, Draco watched as Voldemort turned to Snape and spoke:
"Severus," he hissed, "I presume you know the password to that muggle loving fools chamber, correct?"
"Yes my Lord," Snape replied.
"Then go now," Voldemort said, turning his eyes away from Snape to his audience, his terrifying smile blooming. "I have sent Macnair and two new recruits there already, but they will need the password to be granted access. Bring me Dumbledore, understood?"
"Yes my Lord," Snape repeated, before striding down the center aisle, past McGonagall and out of the Great Hall.
"Now then," Voldemort said, "bring me the hag. I'm in need of some good entertainment."
"My Lord," one of the other Death Eaters spoke up, and Draco wasn't surprised to hear his father's voice, "may I suggest something?"
Voldemort turned to face the speaking Death Eater - Lucius Malfoy - and waved him forward after a few seconds. The older Malfoy came forward and bowed at his Master's feet, before speaking.
"May I recommend that you allow my son to prove his loyalty to you," Lucius whispered humbly.
Voldemort's smile twisted into a smirk. "Very well," Voldemort said, then spoke louder. "Summon him."
Lucius stood up abruptly and bowed, before turning to face Draco. "Draco!" he shouted impatiently. "Get up here boy! Now!"
Draco felt his blood run cold as every eye in the Great Hall turned to him. He took a deep breath, before standing and walking slowly toward the dais where the staff table stretched out.
"Hurry up!" Lucius roared.
Draco picked up his pace a little, passing the Slytherin table and leaving it behind. He climbed the steps onto the raised platform and stood before his father.
"Son," Lucius said, "it is time to prove your worth. Show me that you are indeed a Malfoy. Do not fail me."
Draco swallowed and nodded.
"Who would you like my boy to kill my Lord?" Lucius asked, lowering his head in submission again.
"My Lord," another Death Eater spoke, one of the few standing behind Voldemort. Draco's head turned sharply in his direction, his eyes widening. He knew that voice. "May I speak?"
"Hurry up!" Voldemort replied, waving an arm impatiently.
The Death Eater came forward and stood before Draco, next to his father, before turning to Voldemort and bowing. Then he spoke:
"What would be more fitting for a Malfoy than to kill a member of the biggest Blood Traitor family there ever was," he said, before standing up straight and pointing at the Gryffindor table. "The youngest of the Weasleys - Ginny Weasley."
Voldemort laughed, a cold, hard laugh. Draco's eyes narrowed and he turned to look at his father, who nodded his head in agreement. Draco couldn't stand to look at them, so he turned to face the Gryffindor table, his eyes meeting Ginny's. She was looking at him with pure hatred and he lowered his head, unable to stand it. The Death Eater speaking again brought his attention back to the situation at hand.
"I happen to know this particular Weasley would be perfect for Draco to dispose of and to prove his loyalty to you, my Lord. It would be poetic," he said, turning to Draco, "wouldn't it Draco?"
"It would," Draco whispered, clenching his fists, "Blaise."
(----)
Harry quickly found a secret passageway that would give him access to the higher levels of Hogwarts. He ran as fast as he could through the secret tunnels, worming his way through the brickwork, until he emerged on the third floor. He then made his way up to the fourth floor, and then the fifth, before he was forced to stop and duck into an alcove quickly. He pulled his Invisibility Cloak out of his back pocket and threw it around himself, just in time to watch the two Death Eaters walk past him. They where talking rather loudly, laughing.
"Did you see the stupid old hags face," one of them said, slapping his partner on the back, "all twisted in pain. I can't wait to tell my boy, he'll have a fit. He always hated that Arithmancy witch, and now she's just another dead body."
Harry clenched his hands tight, fighting the powerful urge to run out and kill them both. They'd killed her, Professor Vector, his Arithmancy instructor, without remorse. Sure, he hated the subject, but he didn't want to see her dead.
When they finally could not be heard any longer, Harry emerged from the alcove and resumed his trek to the seventh floor. He reached it in record time, his feet pounding on the floor as he ran, full out, towards the old portrait of the Fat Lady that concealed the entrance to Gryffindor Tower. Stealth be damned, he had to get to Hermione as fast as possible, before something happened to her.
Panting, he rounded the corner into the corridor that led to the Fat Lady's portrait, only to find it torn apart and gaping, the entrance exposed. Taking a deep breath, his heart pounding in his ears, he ran as fast as he could down the corridor.
(----)
Looking back on things, Hermione wasn't sure exactly what she was doing when the Death Eaters attacked. The thing that really stood out, the event that was the start of her memories of that night, was Neville pulling her down and under the table when the door behind the Fat Lady exploded. She vividly remembered the screams of her fellow housemates echoing in her ears as she hid under the table.
"Stay here!" Neville whispered to her, before he started to crawl across the floor, behind the couch that dominated one side of the common room, hidden from view of the Death Eaters.
Hermione peeked over the table and watched as the black clad Death Easters - two of them - with horrific skull masks entered the common room. She saw Ron Weasley and his friends standing by their table, wands drawn, but frozen in shock. The rest of the room was erupting in chaos.
Hermione watched as the first Death Eater raised his wand and took aim, his wand pointed directly at the fleeing back of a first year. She didn't hear him speak, so he must have used a non-verbal spell, but the next thing she knew the girl was motionless on the floor. Her friends gathered around her, crying and looking up with terrified faces at the looming evil.
The Death Eater pointed his wand again, but before he could cast a spell -
"Expelliarmus!"
- His wand went flying out of his hand and was sent high into the air, before it came crashing down a few feet away from him. The Death Eater cursed and dove for the wand, whilst his partner turned his attention the source of the voice.
The Death Eater stared at the sofa, his eyes narrowing behind the skull mask. Hermione ducked under the table again and looking pleadingly at Neville, who was crouched with his back against the sofa.
"They know where you are," she mouthed silently. He frowned at her and she repeated herself, hoping he would understand this time. He nodded and started crawling again.
Hermione peeked over the top of the table again just in time to see the second Death Eater raise his wand. The sofa exploded in a mixture of cloth, fluff and plywood. Hermione winced, holding her breath and dropping down again. Neville was crawling out of the mess, wood and bits of fluff covering him.
"Run!" she mouthed, but he wasn't looking at her.
"Look what we have here," the Death Eater spoke for the first time, his voice deep and rumbling. "A little wannabe hero."
"Neville run!" Hermione shouted, not caring if it drew attention to herself anymore. She couldn't watch her friend die.
"Crucio!" The Death Eater shouted, but he ended up missing when Ron Weasley came out of nowhere and tackled him to the ground.
The Death Eater grunted as he hit the floor and Ron Weasley went rolling over him. Ron ended up lying in front of her, the table between them. He groaned and got up, catching her eye. She smiled her thanks and he grinned a rather scared smile at her.
Unfortunately, the other Death Eater was back, having retrieved his wand. He pointed it at Ron, but before he could utter a spell a bright flash of red light erupted behind him and he fell flat on his face, unconscious. The entire common room went silent, the screams and crying of the younger years fading as everyone turned to face the doorway.
Harry Potter stood in the doorway, his wand aimed, his eyes narrowed in anger. The last Death Eater stood up, turning to face Harry, and although Hermione couldn't see it, he was smirking. No doubt he thought he'd get in good with his Lord when he brought him Harry Potter's head. He was mistaken.
"Potter!" The Death Eater laughed. "I was hoping I'd meet you."
"Interesting," Harry said, though by the tone of his voice you could tell he thought it clearly was anything but interesting, "but unfortunately for you, you're in my way."
"Oh," the Death Eater laughed, "is that so? What are you doing to do? You're just a child."
"That's your first mistake," Harry said, "but it's not the one that's going to get you in the end. That would be your second mistake."
"And what's that?" The Death Eater asked in a tone that suggested he was humouring Harry.
"That would be turning your back on your opponent," Harry said.
"Stupefy!" Neville roared, pointing his wand at the Death Eater, whose eyes widened slightly before he fell down, mirroring his partner.
The entire common room was silent as Neville picked himself up and Harry entered the room proper. It was highly likely that most people could hardly believe their eyes. After all, the supposed next Dark Lord had just saved them all from a duo of Death Eaters, which was not something one expected to see.
Hermione didn't care about any of that though. She'd just gone through a terrifying scene, something she had not expected to have to face this soon, and what she needed the most now was to just wrap her arms around her boyfriend and bask in his presence.
That so, Hermione quickly stood up and ran around the table, dashing into Harry's opening arms. She buried her head into his chest as he wrapped his arms around her, nuzzling her hair.
"Oh Harry," she cried, tears of relief in her eyes, "I was so scared."
"Shh," Harry cooed, rubbing her back, "it's okay. I'm here now."
"I knew you'd come," she said, clutching at his robes. "I just knew it."
They spent the next few seconds like that, before finally the silence that had descended onto the stunned common room was broken:
"Erm," Ron said, "what the hell is going on?"
Harry patted Hermione on the back before gently disentangling himself from her, although he stayed close and grabbed her hand. He looked around the common room; seeing everyone's shocked faces staring back at him, before he turned his head slightly to meet Neville's eyes.
"Good job Neville," he said, "do me a favour?"
"Sure thing Harry," Neville replied.
"Tie these two Death Eater's up with some strong robe," Harry said, "and make it really tight. A Body-Bind wouldn't go amiss either."
"I'll take care of it," Neville said, moving away to do the job.
"Hey!" Ron shouted, red in the face. "I said - what the hell is going on here?"
"I heard you," Harry replied, turning to face the enraged Gryffindor. "Listen everyone," Harry went on, speaking to the entire common room. "I need you all to remain calm, okay? Voldemort has invaded Hogwarts - "
"What did you say?" Ron asked, eyes wide.
"But he's not - I mean, he's dead, isn't he?" A third year asked, speaking timidly.
"No," Harry said, "he isn't."
"But you killed him," the third year argued.
"I didn't," Harry said.
"So it's true then?" Katie Bell said, speaking for the first time. "He's really back? You weren't lying?"
"No, I wasn't," Harry said, growing impatient. "Look - we really don't have time for this. You're all sitting ducks here, we need to get you someplace safe."
"Like I'm going to trust you," Ron said loudly, "this is probably a set up. You just want to lure us to him, don't you?"
"Oh please," Hermione snapped, moving forward and getting in Ron's face, "Listen to what you're saying. Don't be an idiot. Harry just saved all our lives and you still can't trust him?"
"He - "
"So what do we do?" Katie Bell asked, coming forward and interrupting Ron.
"We need to get you all to a safe place," Harry said, giving her a small smile of thanks.
"But where?" Katie asked. "I can't think of any place that'll be safe from him."
"I know a place," Harry replied, "It's not far from here either. It's called the Room of Requirement. It's a secret room that can be anything you need it to be."
"Okay," Katie said, "where is it?"
"It's on this floor," Harry said, "just across from Barnabas the Barmy's tapestry. What you need to do is walk past that spot and think about what you need - in our case it's a good place to hide a lot of people - and then it should appear. Got it?"
"Yeah," Katie said, nodding. "I've got it."
"Great then," Harry said, looking around the room, "okay, can you take first through third years? I'll follow with the rest, okay?"
"Okay," Katie agreed, before moving away to gather her charges.
Harry turned back to Hermione, ignoring Ron, who was glowering at them, but not saying a word. Harry pulled her close and kissed her softly, before pulling out his Invisibility Cloak.
"I want you to wear this," Harry said, "okay?"
"What?" Hermione gasped, surprised. "No, I can't. You should give it to someone more important."
"You are important," Harry said, handing it to her whether she liked it or not, "so don't argue with me. Take it."
Hermione bit her lip, but nodded. She'd wear it for now. Neville returned at that point, pointing out his handy work with a grin:
"What do you think?" he asked. "Good enough?"
"Perfect," Harry said.
"I'm ready," Katie said, appearing at his shoulder.
"Right," Harry said, "Neville, will you go with Katie. Keep them safe, okay? We'll be right behind you."
Neville nodded and then joined Katie in leading the younger years from the common room, heading to the Room of Requirement. Harry glanced around at the rest of the students in the common room.
"Okay," he said, "everyone get ready. We'll be leaving soon."
(----)
Piccolo999